Second Chance
by Okori Yo
Summary: Cathica gets stranded in the 28th century. What happens after she meets the Doctor?
1. Fateful Encounter

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Doctor Who or the 28th Century. This is a DoctorxCathica pairing. Enjoy!

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Chapter 1

Cathica frowned as she shoved her way through the crowded shopping mall somewhere in the late 28th century. She was lost, hungry, and quite upset at being dumped into an unknown environment. Plus the fact that she didn't remember anything after the Doctor and his friends had left.

As far as she could figure out, Cathica was on Earth, somewhere in Africa. Ninety percent of the people around her were dark-skinned like she was, and some of the women were wearing forehead jewels. In the year 200,000, forehead jewels were a sign that an African woman was single and looking for a husband. Of course, they could have a totally different meaning here. Sighing, the woman decided to find a room for the night and get some food into her. Groaning, she then realized she needed money. How had she gone from a journalist to a beggar in less than a day?

Several hours later, Cathica sat in a dive bar on the outskirts of town. She was drunk, dirty, and was on her 5th Ultra Bloody Mary. The woman was currently entertaining a bunch of other drunks by snapping her fingers and opening the info spike implanted into her head. The men were staring at her and laughing every time she opened the panel. After one of them had made fun of her, several others had jumped the unfortunate man, saying that Cathica was cool and giving the fellow a good beating while dragging him out the door.

Gulping back the rest of her drink, the black woman reflected on the events of the past twenty-four hours. A day ago, she had been living a perfectly happy life on Satellite 5, reporting on events from around the Empire. Then the Doctor and his crew had shown up, and things had gone to hell. Literally. She had found out that the human race was being controlled by a giant slug alien, and she had been responsible for heating up it's living quarters enough to kill it. Talk about an eventful day.

Closing her bloodshot eyes, Cathica remembered the smile the Doctor had given her after she had helped destroy the alien. His gaze had been kind and it was then she had realized that he respected her for stepping up and doing something without being told to do it. She had also seen something else in his eyes…or maybe that was her alcohol-flooded brain playing tricks on her.

Sighing, she opened her eyes and gazed blurrily around her. The other drunks were either watching a football match, inhaling even more beer, or were passed out where they sat. Swaying slightly, she rose to her feet and slapped some cash down on the table. She figured it was enough to cover what she had drunk, seeing she had nicked it off of a fellow drinker earlier that evening. If not, well, she was going to be long gone by the time anyone figured it out.

Pushing open the door, she stumbled out into the street. It was around 2 in the morning, and the roads were quiet. In the distance, a dog barked and the wail of a police siren drifted through the air. Turning left, she passed by several run-down buildings, heading in the general direction of a hotel Cathica had spotted previously. Walking beneath a burned out streetlight, she paused as a low chuckle met her ears. Glancing ahead, she saw several figures in the darkness. One advanced towards her, crooning, "Hey there, sexy…wanna go have some fun?" Laughter from his companions met the statement, and Cathica took a step backwards, fear quickly clearing her mind. Normally, she wouldn't hesitate to fight the jerk, but she was intoxicated and outnumbered. Backing up a step further, she spat, "I'd rather spend the night with a homeless bum that you!"

"Hey now, that's not very nice…" Chucking again, the stranger rapidly closed the distance between them, giving Cathica a light shove into the lamppost. Leaning in, he growled, 'You better start actin' nice quick, 'cause you're getting me mad." Smelling the beer off his breath, Cathica decided that this scumbag didn't even deserve a response. Swinging her right hand up, she gave him a hard slap in the face and kneed him in the groin. As he doubled over in pain, the woman took off in the opposite direction, running as hard as she could. Behind her, she heard the leader of the little gang gasp out several swear words and start after her, accompanied by his henchmen.

Grinning, she picked up the pace and rounded a corner only to have stars explode in her vision. As she stumbled backwards, Cathica was grabbed by the collar and slammed against a brick wall, making the lights in her head double in number. Sliding down to the ground, she faintly heard the ringleader say, "Good job, ya got her. Hehehe…now comes the fun bit…" Darkness replaced light as her vision narrowed, then faded altogether as she passed out.

- - -

Cathica woke up slowly, her head pounding as if a sledgehammer had hit her several times. Brown eyes opened cautiously, and she found herself facing a light blue wall. Sitting up, she realized she was in a hotel room of some sort. But how had she got here?

Glancing down at herself, Cathica found she was dressed in a white nightgown and her hair was loose. Reaching up, she ran an finger across a layer of bandages wrapped around her forehead. The info spike panel didn't seemed to be damaged from the hit, but what had happened?

Rubbing her temples to try and get rid of the headache, Cathica sighed and decided to get up and try and figure out how she had gotten from a street corner surrounded by thugs to a hotel room with a really bad headache.

"I have some Aspirin if you need it." Letting out a yelp of surprise, Cathica wrenched her neck around and started at the person opposite her, simultaneously gathering up the blankets and wrapping it around her body. "D-Doctor!"

Grinning, the Time Lord watched as she blushed, holding the bedspread up to her neck. "What are you doing here?" she asked, still staring at him. He was dressed in his typical worn leather jacket, and had on a dark gold jumper underneath. Shrugging, he replied cheekily, "Ah, I was just passing though. Saw you, realized that you needed help, and brought you to a hotel. How did you get here anyway? You should still be on Satellite 5."

Annoyed that he had answered her question so lightly, Cathica frowned and muttered, "Geez, I don't know. Don't remember much anything that happened after you left. I just ended up here…" Trailing off, she thought about what had happened after the Doctor left. The box he travelled in had faded from sight, and Cathica had wandered off to try and bring a bit of order to the chaotic space station. After calming most of the people down, she had went to her quarters to try and get a bit of sleep. She had opened the door to her room…and that was all she could remember.

Tearing herself away from her memories, she looked up to see that the Doctor was also frowning. Now that she had time to study him a bit more, the woman realized that the man in front of her was slightly handsome, in a biker-gang sort of way. "Um…do you mind if I get dressed?" she asked, after looking at him for a full minute without him ever noticing.

"Hm? Oh, go ahead." The Doctor replied, waving a hand distractedly. Standing up, he moved over to look out the window and to give Cathica a bit of privacy. After making sure he wasn't looking, she stood up and went over to the bureau, pulling open the top drawer to find a small pile of clothes.

Casting a wary glance at the Doctor's back, Cathica quickly changed into a soft vermilion sweater and a loose pair of black jeans. Turning around, she found that the Doctor was still staring out the window. Since the window showed nothing but the brick wall of the building across from it, the woman suspected he wasn't staring at the stunning scenery.

Walking over to him, she laid a dark hand on his shoulder, wondering if she should say something. Bowing his head, the Doctor sighed, then his shoulders started to shake slightly. Realizing the something was definitely wrong, Cathica decided to leave him alone and go find something to eat. Taking a step back, she dropped her hand and turned for the door. Then her hand was grabbed and the ex-journalist was drawn into a tight embrace. Her face was pressed against the fabric of his jumper and she felt his arms slip around her.

It was then she found out the Doctor was crying; practically sobbing. Unsure of what to do, she patted him on his back, listening with some awe at the double heartbeat. So he was an alien…so the creepy guy on Floor 500 had been telling the truth…

Closing her eyes, Cathica made soothing noises in and effort to calm him down, switching from patting to rubbing his back. "Shhhh…it's alright…if you want, you can tell me…shhh…"

"Oh Cathica…everyone just keeps dying…and I keep putting Rose in danger." the Doctor said between sobs. Pulling her even closer, he whispered, "What can I do to stop it?" Stopping the rubbing motion, she gave in and hugged him back, eventually raising her head up to look him in the face. Brown eyes gazed into watery steel-blue ones and Cathica said sternly, "You have to accept that everywhere you go, you find trouble. If you can't do that, make sure Rose is safe. Speaking of which, where is she?"

"I left her with Jack back at the TARDIS…she'll be fine; there is nothing here that is going to cause trouble. Besides, Jack will protect her if anything does happen."

"I suppose…" her voice trailed off as she smiled lightly up at the Doctor. Well, he had stopped crying, at least for the moment. Sniffing, he returned the smile with a grin and let her rest her head on his shoulder.

"You look good in vermilion."

"Really?"

"Yeah, brings out your eyes."

"Oh…gold looks great on you, especially with that jacket."

"Hm…I'll have to wear gold more often then, eh?"

"You really should."

Snuggling deeper into the aforementioned leather jacket, she breathed in the scent of oil and sweat. There was also something she couldn't identify, but it smelled wonderful. Relaxing, she felt the Doctor move a hand from her back up to her hair, running his fingers through it. He played with her hair for a few minutes, Cathica enjoying every second of it. She had never been in a real relationship with anyone; there had been some promising guys before, but they had either turned out to be jerks or had run off on their own. Of course, she held no illusions about the Doctor. The woman could sense that he had a deep connection to Rose, and this was nothing but a little break, a chance to let feelings out that he couldn't show around the younger girl.

Raising her head from his shoulder she looked him in the eye, seeing that he was feeling slightly happier. Smiling weakly, the Doctor brushed away a few strands of black hair from her face. Tipping her head up, he gave her a very soft kiss on the lips. Breathing, "Thank you." he gave her a final pat on the back and headed for the door. Just as he reached it, he snapped his fingers and turned around.

At the click of his fingers, the panel in her forehead had automatically popped open. Snapping her own fingers, she smiled as it closed once more and motioned for the Doctor to speak.

"Opps, sorry. Forgot about that." Grinning, he continued. "There should be enough clothes in the dresser for a few days, and there is a wallet with some money in there too." Giving her a cheerful wave of the hand, he finished with, "Right then, I'm off. Be good, stay outta trouble, and have a good life. See ya."

Lifting a hand, Cathica waved back as he stepped out and shut the door behind him. That had been a great way to start off a new life, and the woman was determined to make sure she used this second chance to the best of her abilities. Running a comb through her hair, she arranged it in a braid, grabbed some money, and headed out the door to find herself a job.

- - -

The bedroom scene was an idea given to me by Americ's Pet, so I'm giving her the credit for that.


	2. Assignment

I decided to continue this story, so I hope you enjoy it. Although the Doctor isn't in this chapter, he will come back eventually. Comments and ideas are always welcome, so please respond. Thanks!

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Chapter 2

"Cathica, I want you to go look into the mysterious appearances that have been happening lately. Try and get the article done as fast as you can, please." Her boss said as he passed by her desk, handing her a data pad.

"I'll get right on it, sir." Standing up, she shoved the data pad in her pocket, grabbed her coat, and headed for the door. She had been working at African News Channel for six months, reporting on various events that took place on the African continent. The news company employed people from all over Earth, including many up-and-coming journalists, some with no available history. So no one paid any mind to a British woman who had applied as a field reporter. Since then, she had come across nothing unusual, at least nothing at would explain her sudden transportation to this time from the year 200,000. At least, nothing up until five minutes ago.

While her car flew over the city of Cairo, Egypt towards her destination out in the desert, Cathica took the time to read over the data her boss had given her. People had just been appearing seemingly at random throughout Africa, many with no explanation of how they had gotten there. From the few reports the police had done, they all seemed surprised or even shocked to end up in what they termed "the past." A few hadn't been able to cope, and had killed themselves. The remaining individuals had been give some food and money and told to get lost. The journalist realized that they had gone through the same experience she had, but they hadn't had a friendly Doctor nearby to lend a hand.

Intrigued, the black woman pondered over who would be doing such a thing. It didn't make sense to send people back in the past. She could see sending someone into the future to learn new information then bring it back, but why the past? A person worth his salt just had to do a little digging to find out what had happened in the past, so why send someone back? Puzzled by the thoughts, she didn't even notice when the car made a smooth landing and the door swung open.

"Madam?" Cathica was jerked from her thoughts by a soft voice. Looking over, she blinked in surprise at the young man peering into her car. He was about 23, with dark brown hair, sparkling green eyes, and tanned skin. Dressed in a white T-shirt with blue jeans and a black bandana tied around his left arm, he looked comfortable despite the desert heat. Unlike him, Cathica was wearing 'city' clothes: a black shirt with brown slacks and sunglasses perched on her head. Seeing her gaze, the young man smiled comfortably and offered a hand. Smile back, Cathica accepted it and was eased out of the car.

"Sorry about that. I was just checking over the info. I'm Cathica Akins, a field journalist from African News Channel." She introduced herself and shook the hand she still grasped, wondering who he was.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Chaths Braithwaite, and I'm a field agent from ATI. I'll be your guide while you're here." Motioning to the small brick building they stood in front of, he suggested, "Shall we go in? I can bring you up to date on what might have been left out of the official reports."

"Official reports?" Cathica repeated, following him into the one-level building and down a short flight of stairs. Reaching a steel door, they paused while Chaths punched in a long password. She had never heard of the ATI, but that was just one more item she would have to investigate when she had time.

Turning to her, the younger man gave her a mysterious smile and simply nodded in response. The door hissed open, and Chaths indicated that she should go first. Hesitating for only a moment, the reporter stepped through the door and stared in wonder. The large room was bathed in light blue light, muting the glint of all the appliances in the place. There were computer banks scattered everywhere, all of them showing a different image, most with people working at them. Tunnels branched off from the main room in all directions, and rows of elevators and more doors took up an entire wall. Several sections were elevated slightly above floor level, separated by walls of glass. Cathica figured that they were offices of some sort. But the most amazing thing in the room was the huge aquarium that ran the length and height of the back wall. Many species of fish and plants called the place home, and their bright colours added a sense of belonging to the room.

Speechless, she heard Chaths chuckle softly at her reaction as he stepped up beside her. "W-what is this place?" she asked, a note of awe in her voice. "This is the ATI headquarters. You'll be based out of her during your stay."

"And what is the ATI?" she asked, finally tearing her gaze away from the sight and looking at him.

"Sorry, but I don't have the authorization to tell you that." he said, smiling ruefully. Sighing, she nodded in acceptance. Cathica had learned quickly that humans in this time were much less trusting that the ones in her own century. This was probably due to the fact that they hadn't been brainwashed into believing anything they saw or heard. Given time, Chaths might reveal who he worked for….or he might not.

Navigating the maze of desks and computers with ease, the field agent made his way to one of the many tunnels and entered it. Giving curious glances at the workers who hovered over the computers, she noticed that the machines themselves were of the kind around in her era. Although she doubted that her info spike would work, she could probably access most of the files with the basic chip functions, granted that they weren't encrypted.

"So, where are we going? And what about the information you're going to tell me?" Cathica asked, falling into step with the ATI member. "I'm going to show you to your quarters, then give you a small tour of the place. After you get settled, we'll get down to business."

"Fair enough." The woman had noticed that small channels along both sides of the corridor had water flowing through them, creating a relaxing sound. The lighting was also a shade darker than it had been, but was still bright enough to see in easily. "What's with the water?"

"Full of questions, aren't you?" Chaths answered, eyes twinkling.

"That's my job."

"True enough. Management installs some sort of running water system into every new base they create. Not all bases have water, only ones from T3, the ATI's home branch. I think it's a nice touch, though. Makes the place more cozy."

"Yeah…it creates a more relaxing atmosphere here." Cathica said as they rounded a corner.

"Here we are!" the young man announced, gesturing towards a nondescript black door. She strode forward and opened it, stepping into a small room. A bed was tucked in the far left corner, with a small fountain opposite it. A computer station and a chair took up the rest of the space, leaving room only for a few pegs to hang stuff on. Dropping her coat on the bed, she turned and shooed Chaths out. Her boss had included a note saying that a spare set of clothes were in a duffle bag under the bed. Walking over, she knelt down and peered under the bed, pulling out the bag that was there. Making sure that the door was shut, the woman quickly changed into something a bit more comfortable.

Tossing her previous outfit on the bed, Cathica, smoothed the wrinkles out of the green sleeveless top and light grey skirt she now wore. She would fit in better if she was dressed more like the locals. Putting her hair up in a ponytail, she slipped a clear data pad in her purse to take notes with, and left to room. Chaths was leaning on the opposite wall, waiting, and she smiled at her appearance. "Alright then, let's go." Taking her hand, he lead her back the way they had come, explaining as much as he could about they base they were on.

- - -

Cathica wasn't given a last name in the series, so I just came up with one. Also, 'Chaths' is Egyptian for 'ends'.


	3. Desert Heat

Once again, reviews and comments are appreciated. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'll try to have the next one up soon.

Chapter 3

Cathica smiled as she leaned against the enormous fish tank, still absorbing everything she had learned from the tour Chaths had just given. The ATI may look small from the outside, but underground it was a maze of tunnels and rooms. Although there were many areas that Cathica couldn't enter because of restrictions, what she did see amazed her. The technology that the field guide showed her was stunning, and obviously from alien cultures. Although humanity had been in contact with aliens since the twenty-first century, many refused to share their technology with the humans. Seeing how humans had a tendency to destroy each other with any new and more powerful weapons they got their hands on, Cathica could see the wisdom behind this decision. Still, she had no idea how Chaths' team could have gotten access to this advanced technology. Some of this stuff was still around in her era (although mostly in museums).

At the moment, the young man was talking to one of his co-workers, probably getting information on the story Cathica was working on. Folding her arms, she tipped her head up, gazing at the ceiling. The journalist assumed that it was also a product of alien technology, since she could see no other light source in the large room. The tank behind her was also lit up, but just enough so that the reflection of the water shone on the ceiling. Watching the light shift and flicker as the fish swam, she wondered what other information Chaths had for her, and whether he'd allow it to be published. Probably not, but she would ask him anyway.

"Miss Akins? Are you ready?" Looking down quickly, Cathica saw that the man in question was standing in front of her, a coat draped over his arm. She still wasn't used to how polite he was around her, but when she had questioned him about it during the tour, he had insisted on calling her 'Miss Akins'. Nodding, she stooped and picked up her own coat and purse, then started walking towards the way they had first come in.

"Actually, we're heading out the back way. Please follow me." Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, she turned and followed him down yet another tunnel, this one bathed in light blue light. The water channels were so wide the path between them was only wide enough for one person, so Cathica walked behind Chaths, glancing down at the water running by only inches from her shoes. "So, are you going to tell me about what wasn't in the 'official reports'?" she asked, as the path widened and stopped in front of a blank stone wall.

"All in good time. Look, we're here." Frowning at being shrugged off, she muttered, "And where's 'here' exactly?"

"Our back door." Now thoroughly confused, the journalist only stared at the blank stone wall. She then looked around, searching for another exit she might have missed. But there was nothing else except the tunnel and the dead end. Chaths had stepped behind her and was doing something, but she was too busy thinking to ask. Feeling that she was being tricked, Cathica opened her mouth to tell him to stop making fun of her, but didn't get the chance. Instead she was pushed towards the wall without any warning. Shock quickly turned to fear as she realized she was falling, unable to catch herself. Brown eyes squeezed shut, she wondered what Chaths had been thinking. Suddenly she felt a tingling sensation run through her body, ending abruptly when she landed hard on something scratchy.

Opening her eyes, she blinked in the bright light, realizing she was outside, lying in a pile of sand. Sitting up, she spit out some dirt, then looked around. She was in the middle of nowhere, out under the bright Egyptian sun. Sand surrounded her on all sides, and there was no indication of where Chaths had gotten to. Getting to her feet, Cathica brushed of her clothes and thought about the situation. The wall had been some sort of transporter, similar to the transmats of her own time. Grumbling about being dumping in the desert, she glared at the landscape, upset that her guide had left her so suddenly. Turning around, she drew a deep breath and tried to think clearly. She could handle this! Just figure out which way the nearest city was, and start walking.

A soft buzzing interrupted her thoughts, and she glanced around, trying to figure out the source. A circle of light appeared just to her left, and a outline of a figure appeared. Raising an eyebrow, Cathica watched as the outline condensed and the light faded, revealing a rather upset Chaths. Looking around worriedly, the young man spotted the journalist and smiled in relief.

"Miss Akins! Good, you seem to be in one piece. I thought I might have lost you, since the transporter coordinates were wrong. Are you alright?"

"A bit confused, but fine. Where are we?" Walking over next to him, she smiled in return, happy that he had been concerned about her. Of course, he was probably in charge of her, and would likely get in trouble if something happened to her. Even so, it made her feel good to know that there was someone who would be worried if something went wrong.

Brow furrowing slightly, Chaths raised his wrist and tapped at the watch-like device he wore, squinting at the small screen. "About 50 kilometres away from where we were supposed to land. Once the ATI's tracking satellites find us, our drive should be here soon. Assuming a sandstorm doesn't come along first. The forecast called for them."

Sandstorm? Whatever it was, it didn't sound good. In the year 200,000, Earth was so polluted that these sandstorms never happened, mostly because there was no sand left to form into a storm. Not wanting to find out exactly what a sandstorm was, she asked, "Then can we find some shelter? If we stand out in the open any longer, we'll get heat stroke."

"Hm…Sorry, but if we move too far away, the satellites will loose our location and we'll be stuck out here." Chaths replied, shrugging apologetically. "If there was anything I could do, I would do it." Sighing, Cathica stared at the ground, watching the wind blow some sand by her feet. Her throat was already feeling dry, and there was no place to get out of the sun. Feeling hot, she tugged at her green top, then glanced at her partner. Although he wasn't showing it, he had to be hot. Or maybe he was just used to the heat…

"While we're waiting, want me to tell you about your assignment? It will help pass the time." Chaths suggested, turning to face her. "I assume you still want to know?" Finally, this assignment was going somewhere! Grinning despite the conditions they were in, Cathica nodded and replied, "Of course! Am I allowed to record it?"

"Not the background information."

"Why not?" she asked, frowning it him. If there was one thing she had learned from her time on Satellite 5, it was to tell the entire story.

"It's classified."

"Then why are you telling me?!"

"Oh, I just thought you might want to know why you got transported to this time period…"

Cathica hesitated for a moment, surprised that he knew that she was from the future. Deciding to deny it, she shot back, "I have no idea what your talking about. I was born in this time!"

Smirking slightly, Chaths murmured, "Alright then, what is the nickname of Horus Baioumi Junior?"

"Er…" She had never heard of the man, much less knew what his nickname was.

"Any idea?" Realizing that her cover had just gotten shredded, the woman lowered her gaze and shook her head.

"Thought so. So, what time are you originally from?"

"The year 200,000." Cathica muttered, pushing some sand around with her shoe.

"I see…you're the farthest one yet, then. Interesting." Chaths said, moving to stand in front of her and tilting her head up so that their gaze met. Smiling, he gazed at her for a minute, then nodded as if confirming something. "Alright, let me start at the beginning. I'll tell you as much as I'm allowed to let out, and you can start your story from there. In turn, you can ask me anything, and I'll tell you. Deal?" Cathica regarded him steadily, then asked, "Even if it's classified?"

"Even if it's classified." the ATI agent replied, giving her a light tap on the chin.

"Then it's a deal." Smiling up at him, she nodded for him to continue. Drawing a deep breath, Chaths gazed off into the distance for a moment, then started to speak.

"People started to appear about a year ago, but we didn't get wind of it until a month had passed. From what we can gather, the first few groups were originally set down in remote areas, and were from only a few hundred years in the future. They were able to integrate fairly easily into society, but it got steadily worse from then on. The next bunch that arrived had apparently gone through a traumatic journey, and weren't able to cope with being stranded in the past. Most of them ended up committing suicide. These groups were a bit closer to civilization, and some local law enforcement officers actually found some who had managed not to go insane. The rest have come in pairs or alone, and most of them have fit in rather nicely into 28th century culture. As far as the ATI can tell, you were the last person to arrive from the future. You're also the one who has travelled the most through time to get here."

Falling silent, Chaths gave her a thoughtful look, his brown eyes focusing intently on her own. Feeling mildly uncomfortable under his intense gaze and the fact that they were still so close together, Cathica shifted as she held his gaze. She wasn't the type to give in to a staring contest, especially from someone younger than her. Something about the way he was so straightforward with telling the facts reminded her of the Doctor.

Although she hadn't heard anything more from the mysterious traveller, he was in her thoughts often. Cathica knew that if he hadn't saved her from that gang, she would be much worse off than she was now. Of course, she wasn't expecting to ever see the Doctor again, but she hoped that he was doing alright out among the stars. Hearing a small beep, she glanced down at Chaths' wrist, noticing that a small light on his watch was flashing rapidly. Stepping away from her, the young man glanced at it then smiled. Turning to her, he grabbed her hand and motioned towards the sky with the other.

"Miss Akins, our drive has arrived. May we post phone our conversation until later?" he asked politely. Surprised at the sudden change in his attitude, Cathica nodded slowly, allowing herself to be lead over to where the car was going to land. Chaths was a hard person to figure out, just like the Doctor, but the black journalist was determined to get to the bottom of this story, and she needed Chaths to do so.


	4. Dawn's Glory

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the African jungle. Besides that, enjoy this chapter! Once again, reviews and comments are appreciated!

Chapter 4

Cathica sighed, leaning back against the cool stone wall of her room. She had spent the last few days interviewing people who had be transported from the future to this time, learning their stories and working on the article for the African News Channel. All under Chaths' supervision of course. The ATI agent had made it his job to thoroughly read anything Cathica sent back to her boss, and often made suggestions for minor changes that wouldn't give away any classified information. Tomorrow was to be her final day at ATI headquarters, and she was planning on using it to tie up any loose ends in her article. The journalist knew that she was going to miss working with Chaths, but there was nothing she could do about that.

Hearing a soft tap on her door, she reached over and hit the panel next to her bed, unlocking the door. Although it wasn't necessary, Cathica felt safer with the door locked when she was alone at night. She watched as Chaths poked his head in and politely asked, "Miss Akins, may I come in?"

"Of course." she answered, smiling at the younger man's calm expression. Although he appeared relaxed, the woman could tell that he was worried about something. Slipping inside, he shut the door behind him and sat down at the computer chair, swinging it around to face her. Returning her smile, the ATI field agent asked, "I hope I'm not disturbing you?"

"No, not at all. The article can wait until tomorrow. Besides, it's too late to be working." Nodding, Chaths fell silent, his gaze on the small fountain that was tucked into a corner. Puzzled by his odd behaviour, Cathica waited for him to speak, sensing that it had to be something important for him to come see her so late. When a few minutes had passed and he still hadn't said anything, she crossed her arms and stared at him. Finally noticing her slightly angry glare, the younger man sighed, shifted and coughed uneasily. Staring doggedly at the stone floor, he muttered, "Er….if it's not too much of a hassle, Miss Akins…could you possibly…help…me?"

Realizing that he was bushing furiously and was attempting to hide it, Cathica struggled with herself to keep a straight face and not give him a sound whack over the head. She knew she was being mean, but she had never seen Chaths so uncomfortable around her, and it funny to watch. Cathica was also slightly upset that he hadn't asked her earlier for help. Although they had known each other for only a few days, she felt a close connection to him. Deciding to make her point, she waited until Chaths had lifted his gaze from the floor to her face, the frowned. "Now Chaths, you should know better…" she said sternly, watching as his expression fell, "…than to have to ask me for help. Of course I'll help you!" Grinning at his rather dazed expression, she moved so that she was perched on the edge of her bed.

"You…you really mean that?" the younger man asked, still looking slightly stunned with her accepting his offer. Chucking, Cathica nodded, watching as a smile lit up his face. "Well that's a relief. If you are serious about helping, you'll have to stay here a bit longer. Is that still alright?" Her reply was to reach over and give him a not-so-gentle tap on the top of the head. Smiling, he nodded and continued. "Alright then. I'll explain the situation. T3 thinks they found the reason why people are being brought back from to future in such large numbers, and it isn't good. They traced the signals left behind from the transportation method back to a location in central Africa, and I've been assigned to investigate. My commander suggested I take you with me, since you're now directly involved with this case."

"But you had your doubts?" Cathica prodded him after he stopped talking. Chaths nodded slowly, looking mildly uncomfortable. "Y-yes…I did…You see…This could be a dangerous mission, and…I don't want you to get hurt. If you did, I'd never forgive myself." Blinking at his sudden admission, she stared at him for s few seconds before grinning. "Don't you worry about me. I can handle myself just fine. So, when do we start?"

"Whenever you're ready. A car is waiting outside the main entrance."

"What? No transporter this time?" Cathica asked jokingly, standing up and retrieving her travel bag from under the bed. She slipped some empty data pads and a spare chance of clothes inside, folding her coat on top of everything.

"No. Time is of the essence, so that's why we're leaving so soon. We can sleep during the trip, since it's going to take us a while to get to our destination. Avoiding detection is important." Chaths answered seriously, but his smile indicated he had gotten the joke.

"I see. I'm ready then. Let's fly!" Chuckling, the younger man stood up and slipped his hand into hers, leading Cathica from the room.

- - -

Cathica yawned and sat up, blinking in the bright light. The sun had just risen, turning the sky a wonderful to her left gold colour. The flying car was travelling steadily southwards, skimming low over the seemingly endless jungle below the vehicle. Beside her, Chaths was still asleep, his head resting on her shoulder. A blanket wrapped around them kept off the chill of the African dawn. Gazing down at him, the woman smiled faintly, noticing how innocent he looked while sleeping.

Leaning back, she wondered how much longer it would take for them to reach their destination. The ATI agent hadn't told her anything else about where the pair were heading, except that it was deep in the central jungles. Cathica knew from her research that the jungles had almost disappeared during the 21st century, but a massive effort by several governments had saved the unique plant and animal life that lived there. Since then, the jungles had been allowed to grow, stretching north into what had once been barren desert. Because of that, they could be almost anywhere. If something happened to them, their remains would probably never be located. The massive jungle also made a perfect hiding spot for whoever was plucking people from the future.

Hearing a soft chuckle, Cathica swung her head around, meeting the younger man's intense gaze. Surprised that she hadn't heard him wake up, she stammered, "G-good m-morning!"

"Same to you." Sitting up, he stretched and rubbed his eyes. Leaning forward, Chaths stared at the car's dashboard and started to tap away at the small keyboard set into the panel. "Sleep well?" he asked, still focused on the task at hand.

Wondering what he was doing but knowing better than to ask, she replied, "Pretty good. You?"

"Not bad. This is probably the most comfortable car I've been in for a while." the man answered, pressing a final key and facing Cathica again. Smiling at her bemused expression, he continued. "Most of the ATI's cars are for practical use only, with lots of equipment and stuff but not much room left over for the passengers. This car, however, is for extended trips. I don't normally get to use these, so I'm very pleased at the moment."

"Ah, I see. So, when will be arriving?" the journalist asked, settling back in her seat and gazing out the window. The morning light had turned the jungle canopy into a painter's pallet , highlighting the multitude of colours the trees bore. It was a truly beautiful sight.

"We'll probably be landing in about ten minutes or so. Even I'm not sure of our exact location." Chaths admitted, moving over to look over her shoulder. Aware of his warm breath on her ear, Cathica muttered, "Hey, don't you have your own window to look out of?"

"I do, but yours has a better view." he replied softly. Falling silent, they watched the world below wake up to a new day, just enjoying each other's company. Cathica let her mind wander, her thoughts drifting back to her time on Satellite 5, wondering how all her old friends were doing. She hoped that they had adjusted well to the sudden disappearance of their boss.

Cathica was jerked out of her thoughts by a loud bang that made the entire car shake. "W-what was that?!" she asked, feeling Chaths grab onto her as the vehicle lurched sideways. Another impact rocked the car, sending them tumbling to the other window. "I think we're being attacked!" Chaths said as the flying car skimmed over the tree-tops.

"From who?"

"The people we're going to see."

"This is one hell of a welcome then." Cathica muttered through gritted teeth as a third explosion caused the vehicle to lurch hard to the left. Chaths was hanging onto her for dear life, while she was pressed up against the window they had been looking out of just a few short minutes earlier. The jungle was racing past mere inches from her face, forming into a giant green blur. Feeling dizzy, the woman shifted so that she was looking ahead, but still down at the trees below. In the distance, she saw a small puff of smoke and something silver speeding towards them. She was about to warn the ATI agent of another hit, but didn't get the chance. The missile slammed into the car, and everything froze for a moment. Then her world shattered into a million silver shards.


	5. Darkness

I would have updated sooner, but I'm busy with school projects. I hope you enjoy this chapter. As always, comments are welcome.

Chapter 5

Darkness.

A faint murmur of two voices penetrated the veil of blackness, but she was too busy wondering why it was so dark to actually pay attention. She remembered seeing a million pinpoints of light, then simultaneously being thrown backwards and sideways. After that, there was nothing. But the surrounding darkness felt odd. Was it night?

No, that couldn't be right. Cathica could feel the warmth of the sun on her face. And it didn't feel like anything was covering her eyes. What had happened?

As the journalist pondered the question, the two voices become distinctly louder, until she realized that there was an argument going on above her.

"NO! I won't let you touch her!" Chaths growled, sounding angry. Cathica had never heard him sound like that before, and she wondered why he was so upset.

"Oh, get over it, will you? Can't you see she's hurt?" another voice snapped, the British accent sounding oddly familiar despite them being in the middle of the jungle. Where had she heard it before?

"Yes, but _you're_ not treating her!"

"Yeah, so now you're a doctor too, eh? Then tell me: what are you going to do now?" The pair fell silent, and the ATI agent let out a frustrated sigh.

"Thought so. You humans are all the same. You act all high-and-mighty, but when reality hits, you're useless. And by the way, this is all your fault." the familiar voice sniffed, and the woman heard dead leaves crunch as the person who spoke stood up.

"_My _fault?! Who are you to just waltz in here and start blaming _me_? You're the one who should be explaining himself!"

"Who I am isn't important right now. Treating Cathica is." Cathica froze, the cobwebs that had clouded her mind finally clearing away. That voice…it couldn't be…not here…

"D-doctor? Is that you?" she said, her voice shaking uncharacteristically. Stunned silence fell, being broken as the person she had identified as the Doctor dropped back down beside her and spoke. "Cathica! You're awake! How do you feel?"

"Hey! She's under my protection, so beat it!" Chaths yelped.

"Oh? Well, I'll know who to call next time I need to get in a serious accident." The Doctor snapped back.

"That wasn't my fault!" Sensing that another argument was looming, the black woman said firmly, "Quit it, you two. You can bicker later. As to your question, I'm sore, and my head feels a bit funny." Although she hadn't noticed it earlier, her forehead did feel odd. She hoped the info spike implanted in her hadn't gotten damaged, since it would be nearly impossible to fix in this time period. If it was jammed shut, it wouldn't be too much of a problem, seeing as she no longer needed it. But if had opened and gotten stuck…

The Doctor sighed heavily, then said softly, "Cathica, I need you to listen to me. Although you probably don't feel it, you're badly injured and I have to take you to a hospital. My TARDIS is close by, and I need to get both of you there quickly." His last sentence made her shift uneasily, worry about Chaths suddenly making itself present.

"Is Chaths alright?" she asked quickly, turning her sightless eyes towards her friend. She was happy that the Doctor was here, but the ATI agent had turned from just someone she needed to work with into a close companion. He must be worried; how could she have forgotten him?

Feeling his warm hand slide into hers, she sensed that he was smiling at her. "Miss Akins…Cathica…I'm terribly sorry. I didn't even realize that the group T3 had located might have gotten wind that we were coming. But I'm fine, just a couple bumps and bruises. Isn't that right, Doctor?"

""Er…Yeah, he's fine. Don't worry about him. C'mon, let's move you." The Doctor replied, continuing to direct Chaths in lifting Cathica up. But the woman had stopped listening. She had just realized that Chaths had never called her by her first name before. Although she was unable to see, Cathica suspected that the younger man was lying to her about his injuries to prevent her from becoming even more worried. Remembering the passion and anger in his voice while she had been coming around, the journalist wondered how he really felt about her.

Feeling a stab of pain shoot through her head as Chaths lifted her, she winced, shoving the topic to the back of her mind. The Doctor was right, she had more important things to think about.

"Doctor, what hospital are we going to?" she asked as they picked their way through the jungle back towards the time machine.

"One located in the future. They have the facilities to treat you properly there."

"Is it on a different planet?" Chaths asked, grunting as he tripped. The jarring motion caused more needles of pain to stab into her, but Cathica didn't bother complaining. She could handle a little pain.

"Yep. You might even get to explore a bit after you get better." the Doctor replied. Hearing the rattle of a key in a lock, the woman assumed that they had reached the TARDIS. "Here we are!" the man announced, confirming her thoughts.

"Right now, you be careful with her. The morphine I gave her is probably wearing off a bit." he continued, and Cathica felt a draft of warm are on her face as Chaths carried her inside the machine.

"No, I feel fine." she lied, gritting her teeth as the young ATI member set her down on the floor. "Is Rose still with you?"

"Yeah. Although she should have heard us come in…let me go find her and Jack." The last name left her wondering, until she remembered that the Doctor had mentioned this Jack fellow the last time they had met. Hearing the Doctor leave, she leaned her head back against the cool metal wall and sighed, wishing the pain would just go away.

"You're hurting, aren't you?" Chaths asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah…"

"You should have told us."

"I didn't want to worry you." she replied, smiling at his tone.

"We're already concerned about you. I'm sure the Doctor would have given you some more morphine. By the way…how do you know him? He doesn't seem like a person you would go have a drink with."

"I helped him with something back in my own time before I got transported here. Then he saved me just after I arrived. I haven't seem him since then. Actually, I wasn't expecting him to ever come back." Sidestepping the pain issue, she answered his question calmly, listening for any sound of the Doctor.

"Oh…"

"You don't trust him, do you?"

"After all I've heard about him, I can't say that I do. Of course, you know him better than me, so my view may be biased." Wondering what he meant by that confusing statement, she opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by the sound of hurried footsteps.

"They're not here." the Doctor sounded grim, obviously something was wrong. From her past experience, Cathica knew that Rose wouldn't just leave without a good reason.

"Could she have just wandered off?" Chaths suggested, giving her a final pat on the shoulder and standing up.

"Not like this. She's wandered off before, but Jack knows better than to just leave. Something went wrong. I'll try her mobile."

The woman heard him cross the floor and pick up a phone receiver. They waited while he dialed, but he didn't speak. Setting the phone down, the Doctor sighed. Knowing how much Rose meant to him, Cathica spoke. "If you want to go try and find them, we can wait here."

"Nah, I can't do that. I'll have to treat you two and come back. They should be alright…besides, we won't be that long." Puzzled, the woman didn't ask him to explain. He was too busy dealing with them and worrying about his companions for technical questions.

"Alright then, let's go." Chaths said.

"Sure. Brace yourself." Wondering what to brace herself with, Cathica listened as the Doctor raced around, hearing beeps and clicks coming from the centre of the room. Then a wheezing, grinding sound started, and the floor lurched. Gritting her teeth and trying not to pass out from the pain, Cathica rocked back and forth as the TARDIS moved, finally landing with a gasp on her side when the machine suddenly stopped. Propping herself up, she smiled despite the ache in her head, having enjoyed the short trip.

"You alright?" Chaths asked anxiously, sighing with relief after she nodded.

"Good. We seem to be in the right place. Let's get you two looked after." the Doctor said, moving over and scooping her up.

"I can carry her…" the young man muttered, following them out the door. The one carrying her merely grunted, then raised his voice. "Hey, you! Yeah, the one in the neon red shirt! Call the head surgeon and several other doctors."

"You have no authorization-" a female voice sputtered, but was cut off.

"What? You mean two patients who need treatment aren't enough to get authorization?" he snapped back.

"Er…well…fine, I'll call the medics." the female replied, sounding annoyed.

"Then get moving." Cathica leaned her head on the Doctor's shoulder, the cool leather jacket feeling cool on her skin. Despite the amount of time they had been apart, she still felt a tiny flicker of emotion for him. But they could never have a relationship.

Realizing she was blacking out, she struggled to remain awake, but paused as a voice murmured in her ear. "Don't fight it. You've been through a lot. Let you're body rest. Besides, the sleeping gas they use here tastes horrible anyway. I'll be there when you wake up…"

He might have said something else, but Cathica had always drifted off into a deep and painless void.


	6. Hospitals and Doctors

This will probably be my last update for a while as I have several papers due shortly and finals to start thinking about. Reviews and comments are appreciated, as well as any suggestions. Read and enjoy!

Chapter 6

Cathica stirred from her sleep, sensing that someone was nearby. Although she still couldn't see, she knew that the Doctor was sitting beside her. After all, he had promised her that he would be there.

"Cathica! Thank goodness you're finally awake! How do you feel?" the man said, and Cathica felt the bed shift as he moved to perch on the edge. She noted the concern in his voice and hurried to reassure him.

"I don't feel too bad. The pain is gone, but…I still can't see."

"I know…the surgeons here are working their hardest to help you to see again, but it's probably going to be another couple of days before that happens. Hang in there, alright?"

"Will do." Falling silent, she reached up and ran her hand along the Doctor's arm, surprised to feel that he didn't have his leather jacket on. He sounded tired; how long had she been out?

Gripping his shoulder, Cathica drew a deep breath and attempted to sit up, the motion making her feel light-headed. The Doctor reacted quickly, slipping his free arm around her and supported her as she slowly sat upright. Cathica held still, waiting until she could tell right from left then smiled at the man sitting beside her.

"You really shouldn't be sitting up so soon…" the Doctor cautioned, edging closer to her.

"Humph, I'm fine." But even as she said it, the journalist felt something inside of her break, and a flood of emotions washed over her. Hiccupping back a sob, she realized with a jolt that she could have been killed in the crash. As it was, she had sustained serious injuries, and she didn't even know how bad they were. Shaking as the impact of what had happened started to sink in, she gripped the Doctor's shoulder tighter, barely noticing when he pried her fingers off and gave her a tight hug.

And what about Chaths? Besides the fact she had practically ignored him; the Doctor had mentioned something about them both being injured. But how bad was it? Why had both of them refused to mention it? Where was he now? Why was she acting like this?

"Let it out, Cathica." the man whispered, tightening his grip around her. Trembling badly but still refusing to give in, she managed to stammer, "B-but w-why?" He sighed, and she imagined him rolling his eyes at her comment. "Because it's human nature for you to act like this. Besides, if I had just gone through what you just did, I would probably be a mess right now." the Doctor replied firmly, shifting so that his chin was resting on her head. Cathica considered this for a moment, sniffled loudly, wrapped her arms around him, and burst into tears.

She cried for a while, sobbing into the Doctor's chest. If he minded, he didn't say anything. Finally, when her throat felt raw and her tears had dried, Cathica finally loosened her hold on him.

"Feel better?" he asked quietly, rubbing her back slowly.

"Yeah. Thanks." she murmured, snuggling up to him. "What about the nurses?"

"Chuckling, the man replied, "Nah, they won't bother us. I told them not to."

"And what if they don't listen to you?" she asked, breathing in the scent of oil and something she now identified with the interior of the TARDIS. She figured it was the smell of Time itself.

"You don't want to go there."

"Sure about that?"

"Yep." They both chuckled, and the Doctor ran a hand lightly through her hair.

"Um…how bad are my injuries? I know I'm temporarily blinded, but there's something else isn't there?" Cathica hated to break the light mood, but she needed to know the truth.

"Your info spike sustained heavy damage. They tried their best to repair it, but it didn't work. In the end, the doctors here had to remove it completely. Preliminary results show that your brain wasn't affected in any way, but they'll run a few more tests now that you're awake. Other than that…you have an X-shaped scar on your forehead."

Cathica was silent for a moment, digesting the information. "Well, it's better than having a huge hole there, right?" she said, sitting up and turning her visionless eyes to meet his own.

"True. You seem to be taking this well."

"Hey, I had my entire life flipped upside down just six months ago. I think I can handle a scar or two." Smiling at him, she reached out and brushed his cheek lightly. "Now quit refusing to talk about Chaths. How is he doing?"

The Doctor hesitated for a moment, then took a hold of her hand. "Cathica…" Trailing off, he sighed, then continued. "He's…he's not doing too good. Wait, let me finish!" he said when she made opened her mouth to protest not being told sooner. "Your partner suffered internal injuries during the crash, as well as serious burns and lacerations. He's in intensive care right now, but the staff here say he should be moved soon."

The woman looked down, a wave of sadness washing over her. Chaths…seriously hurt? The thought was almost too much for her to bear. He must have attempted to shield her from the force of the blast, then dragged her out of the burning car. "_This could be a dangerous mission, and…I don't want you to get hurt. If you did, I'd never forgive myself."_ She remembered that Chaths had said that before they left the base. Gritting her teeth to hold back to tears that once more threatened to overwhelm her, Cathica realized that she felt the same about him.

"Now don't start thinking that this is all your fault, because it's not. You know it, I know, I'm Chaths certainly knows it. Although I'm sure your partner is partly to blame for it-"

"No he's not! How dare you say something like that about him! You don't even know him!" Cathica snapped, cutting him off mid-sentence.

The Doctor fell silent while Cathica frowned angrily at him. She didn't like the way he had automatically accused Chaths of being at fault. Hearing him sigh in frustration, the woman felt his grip loosen slightly, then gasped with surprise as she was suddenly drawn into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Cathica. I didn't mean it, really. It's just…I'm not used to trusting people I have never met before. They usually end up trying to kill me or my companion. I'm sure Chaths in a very nice person, and you must be really close to him." the Doctor said, and Cathica was touched at the uncharacteristic kindness in his voice.

She nodded slightly, indicating that she would forgive him, but couldn't resist chiding him a bit more. "I suggest you take what you've learned here and apply it in the future, Doctor. I can see why you might not take everything at face value, but opening up a bit can be good too. Change doesn't necessarily have to be bad. Just look at me!"

The man holding her was silent for a moment, then he chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind. Now, you need to get some rest."

"But I'm not tired!" Cathica protested, snuggling deeper into his chest. In truth, she was feeling a bit sleepy, but she wasn't going to admit it at a time like this.

"Is there any possible way I can convince you to let me go?"

"Hm…no."

The Doctor snorted, then fell silent. Cathica smiled to herself certain that the man would think of something to make her let go. Short of being tickled under the arms, the woman could handle pretty much anything else he tried. She sighed, listening to the double beat of his hearts. The sound was comforting, almost hypnotic. The woman didn't mind that she was being held by an alien, as a child, she had often wished that she would be able to meet one. That was before she had been nearly brainwashed into believing that the human race was superior to all others. But now, free from all of that, the journalist felt happy just knowing that her wish had been granted.

"Alright, how about a compromise?" the Doctor suggested.

"Name your terms."

"You can use me as a pillow, but you have to go to sleep. How does that sound?" Cathica raised a hand and brushed the side of his face. "Sounds good, but are you comfortable with it?"

"Yep. Besides, it would give me a chance to get some rest." he replied cheerfully.

"Have you slept since we arrived?" she asked, a note of surprise in her voice.

"Nope. I don't need much sleep normally, so I'm not too tired. But I still need some rest." Cathica sat up and smiled at him, amazed at how normal it all sounded. She figured that if someone spent enough time around the Doctor, they would quickly get used to odd things sounding perfectly normal.

"Move over a bit." Cathica wiggled over, feeling the bed shift as the Doctor settled in next to her. She waited until he was comfortable, then moved back, unsuccessfully hiding a yawn. "Humph, so you _are_ tired…" he muttered, leaning over and pressing his lips to the bandage covering her new scar. Feeling the warmth through the wrapping, she returned the gesture by giving him a light peck on the cheek before sliding down and laying her head on his chest. The Doctor pulled the blankets up around her shoulders, then ran a hand softly over her hair.

Closing her eyes, Cathica drifted into a deep sleep, her dreams filled with images of the Doctor and Chaths.


End file.
